Grave Consequences: A Novel

Written by Lisa Tawn Bergren

Narrated by Jaimee Draper

The epic romance continues. For Cora Kensington, the journey of a lifetime has taken unexpected turns. And her future - her very life - depends on the decisions she'll make at each crossroad. As the Grand Tour with her newfound family winds through France, Austria, and Italy, an unseen enemy trails close behind. And a forbidden love continues to put everyone's plans at risk. Cora must escape the bonds of the past and discover the faith to make the right choices … because each one has grave consequences.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Oasis Audio
• Release date: Mar 1, 2013
• ISBN: 9781621882077

Lisa Tawn Bergren

Lisa T. Bergren is the author of over forty books, with a combined count of nearly three million copies sold.  She has written bestselling children’s books, award-wining YA (River of Time Series: Waterfall), popular historical fiction, contemporary fiction, women’s nonfiction, and gift books.  She is a writer residing in Colorado Springs, CO, with her husband and three children.  You can find out more about Lisa at LisaBergren.com.  

Reviews for Grave Consequences

[Therrell Carr · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Beautifully written. This is a great read for all to enjoy.

[Angie Nicholson · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a good book that kept me listening! But I was disappointed in the back and forth between Cora and Will. It got a little tedious. And I am still hoping that Pierre wins her hand and heart. I liked him better as a character and was irritated every time Cora hurt him.

[brokenteepee · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the second book in the Grand Tour series and it picks up right where Glamorous Illusions left off with no recap. This was a little disconcerting and it took me a bit to remember who was who and what was going on. If someone picked it up without any knowledge of the first book I fear they would be completely lost from the very first page. Once I pulled pieces of the first book out of the recesses of my memory it got a bit easier to figure out what was going on.The Kensington and Morgan children (teens, young adults?) are continuing on their Grand Tour despite a kidnap attempt in Paris. Extra guards have been hired and there are still sights to be seen and experiences to be had! So off they go to Provence with their "bear" and his nephew Will, the "bear in training" to continue the Tour. They are joined by another American, Art who proves very helpful when disaster strikes.Cora grows closer to her new found siblings and learns much about herself as she faces some fears and faces off with her father when he and Mr. Morgan meet up with the group in Vienna.I found this book to be much like the first - a very enjoyable read but highly implausible. Sometimes the joy of reading is just that; a good writer taking you out of your world and into another. It doesn't matter if that world makes no sense, it just matters that you enjoy the time you spend there. There is to be another book in the series and I find I want to see how Cora deals with her overbearing father and whether she does find true love.

[cbcmedia · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I could hardly put this book down. It picks up right after Book 1, Glamorous Illusions, ends and continues on with Cora Diehl Kensington on her grand tour of Europe with her new found half siblings and their friends. Their tours guides, Will McCabe and his uncle, continue on with added security after their last episode of violence and fear for the lives of their touring party.While Cora continues to make her half brothers and sister like her, she finds herself even more sure of her feelings for Will. But she knows her real father, Wallace Kensington, will never agree to her relationship with someone who is now beneath her new station in life. While she struggles with that, the charming Pierre de Richelieu, who offered them sanctuary in his grand castle in Book 1, plans on meeting with the group soon. She knows he’s in love with her, but her heart is still struggling with her emotions.More suspense and intrigue follow them through France, Austria and Italy, as they pick up a new traveler, Art Stapleton, who has introduced them to the new Kodak camera. He’s constantly taking pictures and it makes you wonder what he’s really up to.This book ends with the promise of another book, Glittering Promises, and I can hardly wait. This is definitely a series you need to start reading with the first book. Each story builds on the other and it is pure enjoyment! This book has it all...history, romance, suspense. It is Christian fiction, but not preachy, so I think anyone would love it.

[stephlaymon · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I loved the first book in this series, but was bitterly disappointed with this, the second book in the series. Early on, the writing style was enough to keep me engaged, but after awhile, the repetitive story-line started to grate on me. There was little happening besides the forbidden romance that dragged on and a lot of unrealistic mystery scenarios where the characters could quite easily have protected themselves with an ounce of commonsense.

[vanyadrum · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

NOTE: The eARC was provided by Netgalley.

This was one absolutely spectacular story with amiable characters, marvelous sights to mind-see and great conflicts to work through. I'm happy that Grave Consequences not only met my expectations but very well exceeded them. As a follow up to Glamorous Illusions, I'd been afraid of how Mrs. Bergren will continue with the development of the story and characters, but now I know there was no need to worry.

I was up for the Grand Tour adventure as soon as I started reading Glamorous Illusions, and now that I've finished Grave Consequences, I can say that I'm thirsty for more. I hope there's a third book to end off the tour, because I'm really looking forward to reading about all those great castles, fancy palaces and gorgeous nature sights that Mrs. Bergren enticed me with!

Now, let me plunge a little deeper and say something more about the characters and the events that took place. I'll try to keep it as spoiler free as possible.

With all that said, I want to mention that there were lots of events that seemed foreshadowed, but I couldn't really figure them out until the right time came for them to occur. Like the appearance of Art Stapleton, Cora-and-Pierre and Cora-and-Will relationships, Nathan Hawke, etc. I mean, it was easy to guess when there was something fishy going on around a person, but you could never guess exactly what was happening until it happened. That was nice. On one side the reader isn't really kept in the dark, on the other - there isn't all that much revealed to drive to boredom.

So, let's say a little about Cora. Our dear miss Kensington, the newest one, is little by little growing into the family. She's getting to know and care for her siblings with their ups and downs. She's also getting to know herself as someone other than the Cora, the poor girl from the Montana dry field. She's getting to know herself as a wealthy man's daughter, as someone who can mingle into society. And she's grown into a woman who can love, a woman who can explore her heart, and a woman who trusts God one hundred percent of the time. I admire her for that.

William McCabe was a nice guy, whose heart betrayed him by falling in love with Cora. Of course, Cora is off limits for too many reasons. But as the tour went on, things progressed and became even more complicated. And Will had to develop a strong character and will in order to keep himself sane and out of trouble. Not that it worked in the end, but still.

If I'm to keep this review spoiler free, this would have to be the end of it. If I managed to intrigue you, then go ahead and grab a copy of Grave Consequences - I assure you, you won't be sorry. I definitely am not.

[amandawrites_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

"How much did we do in life that was the result of what others around us demanded? Rather than what God was calling us to do?"

Cora Kensington has it hard. Taken from her comfortable country home and parents, she's brought into a well-to-do family she didn't know she belonged to until recently. Lime-light didn't seem to suit her, but now she has a part to play in it, and she must learn to cope with it. As well as her biological father's wishes for her.

This is the second book in Lisa T. Bergren's Grand Tour series, and although I didn't read the first, I didn't have a difficult time in finding my way around this one. It wasn't exactly stand-alone, but it was understandable and made me want to pick up the first book of the series.

Ms. Bergren takes us on our own Grand Tour with her rich tapestry of writing and flowing descriptions of places most of us are likely never to travel. Full of gorgeous imagery, at times you can almost smell the places Cora and the others are visiting. Add a little romantic angst, (and who doesn't love that?!) a little intrigue, and a little suspense, and you have a wonderful book to spend your weekend with. Recommend!

**My thanks to David C Cook publishers for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest review. These thoughts are my own, and I was not required they be positive.**

[fhc_5 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Powerful, Epic Romance Continues in the 2nd Book of the Grand Tour series,Grave Consequences, by Lisa T BergrenI quickly discovered I needed to read 'Glamorous Illusions', to gain the background necessary for Book 2 in Ms Bergren's Grand Tour Series.With the stage set, I began this 2nd leg of the journey...*Hair-raising adventures dogged the Kensington and Morgan families from Paris to Austria to Italy. Red herrings and ruses thrown in to confuse any resolutions kept the tension building.*Our feisty protagonist, Cora, seems to have a flair for the dramatic, managing to get herself and not a few of the other entourage members into hot water. Repeatedly. She never seems to recognize the outcome of her decisions will affect more than herself.Grave Consequences indeed...Whilst I appreciated many of her strengths of character, others, due to her immaturity, were borderline.Scenes with her father were dynamite interactions calling for everyavailable inner resource she possessed.Her growth of character ending this 2nd installment was valued.*The romantic scenes offer a lovely tension, emotionally engaging this reader.Cora's confusion regarding her two pursuers is tangible. I have the delightful advantage, as a reader, to make my own choice!*Descriptive picturing of locations, people, settings, engage the senses and add to the appeal of the era. Historic information provided via tour presentations serves the reader well without being documentary. An added insight into these characters through their leadership, dialogue, and their choice of activities provided for these Grand Tourists. My own interest was piqued regarding their various ports of call. Live concerts in Vienna featuring the work of historic composers, balls [and ballgown shopping!], picnics in France's meadows overlooking waterscapes, champagne and strawberries at every turn... ahhh - not hard to picture the life Ms Bergren is presenting to her readers.*The ending? Absolutely delicious.Fantastic story twist setting the stage of anticipation for book 3,Glittering Promises, due this October 1st.*With appreciation to David C Cook for providing an ebook to read and review without obligation.

[glenajo · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Second in Series Adds DepthI really enjoyed the first book in this series, but I thought that this book changed some adding depth to the characters and broadening the story. Few of us today realize the constraints that people and especially women lived their lives before WWI. All the members of the traveling party grow due to their experiences, as was the intention of the parents that sent them. The scenery and activities are beautiful and interesting, with enough action to keep the reader connected to the story. I thought this book was better than the first, and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical romantic fiction without the romance element hitting the unbelievable level.

[deanna13-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Grave Consequences by Lisa T. Bergren was a great story about the continuing travels of the Kensington’s and Morgan’s. It is still the summer of 1913 and the Kensington and Morgan siblings are continuing their Grand Tour in spite of the attempted kidnappings and other problems they faced during the first half of the tour. Cora’s journey of a lifetime is also giving her a chance to get to know herself, to realize what she truly believes about God, and to discover what she really wants out of life. Cora is also still trying to decide if it is Will or Pierre that she truly loves and this indecision seems to put a lot of plans in danger. As the group travels through Austria, France, and Italy, they realize that the man attempting to kidnap Cora is still following them. The two fathers have joined the group for the travels through Italy. It is in Italy that the kidnapper makes his final move which leads to a lot of suspense. It is somewhat of a surprise when the identify of the person who hired the kidnapper is revealed. I had a feeling that the person was involved but was still surprised at how and why he was involved.Just as in the first book, the author again did an excellent job developing the characters and bringing them to life. The plot had several twists and turns and the suspense just kept building with each chapter. Just as I had everything all figured out, something else would happen and I was again left wondering. With Will now the bear of the group, the lectures about what they were seeing were more interesting for the group. As he was describing all the things they were seeing, I was seeing them in my mind right along with the group. The dialogue and interactions of all the characters were also very well developed. The author’s extensive research was evident throughout the book.I recommend this book just as highly as I did the first in the series. Actually this book just might be a little more exciting, at least for Cora but that excitement is tempered with a good bit of fear. There also seems to be more interaction between Cora and Will which I really enjoyed.I received a complimentary copy of this book from David C. Cook at Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

[l_manning · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In the sequel to Glamorous Illusions, we rejoin Cora Diehl Kensington on her grand tour of Europe with her newly discovered half-siblings. While things are going better for Cora with her family, things are only becoming more difficult in her romantic life. She's being aggressively pursued by a dashing Frenchman, Pierre. However, Cora's heart seems to be drifting toward their young tour leader Will. All the while Cora and company are still being chased by the people that kidnapped Cora and her sister in France. With new friends and some twists and turns, Cora must navigate Europe and her new social status. Cora's not sure though that she will be able to get everything she wants. I found the first book very interesting, so I was excited to read the sequel. It was definitely a lot of fun. Cora's world is becoming increasing more difficult to navigate through, and you can't help but feel for her. She so wants to be able to live her life as she chooses, but this is looking less and less likely. Her newly discovered biological father has much bigger plans for her, and everyone around her is sure to tell her that Wallace Kensington always gets his way. While this doesn't sit well with Cora, she soon discovers there is a lot of truth in this. Cora is being pursued by the French Lord Pierre, but it doesn't take her long to realize her heart actually belongs to Will. Circumstances quickly change though, and it seems like Cora and Will will have a difficult road ahead if they want to be with each other.Like any good middle book, this one leaves you with a lot more questions than answers. To be honest, I'm not sure how Cora is going to get any of the things she truly desires. That makes things more exciting though. This book manages to move the story along at a fairly good pace while really setting up the next book. I could have done with maybe a little less of the back and forth between Cora and Will on their feelings for each other, particularly when they had already confessed those feelings for each other. That didn't make a lot of sense to me. Overall though, that's a minor point. This book is able to make you feel like you are there in the time and the place exploring with Cora. I look forward to the next book. I really want to know how it all turns out. Book provided for review.

[bookscookslooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the second book in the Grand Tour series and it picks up right where Glamorous Illusions left off with no recap. This was a little disconcerting and it took me a bit to remember who was who and what was going on. If someone picked it up without any knowledge of the first book I fear they would be completely lost from the very first page. Once I pulled pieces of the first book out of the recesses of my memory it got a bit easier to figure out what was going on.The Kensington and Morgan children (teens, young adults?) are continuing on their Grand Tour despite a kidnap attempt in Paris. Extra guards have been hired and there are still sights to be seen and experiences to be had! So off they go to Provence with their "bear" and his nephew Will, the "bear in training" to continue the Tour. They are joined by another American, Art who proves very helpful when disaster strikes.Cora grows closer to her new found siblings and learns much about herself as she faces some fears and faces off with her father when he and Mr. Morgan meet up with the group in Vienna.I found this book to be much like the first - a very enjoyable read but highly implausible. Sometimes the joy of reading is just that; a good writer taking you out of your world and into another. It doesn't matter if that world makes no sense, it just matters that you enjoy the time you spend there. There is to be another book in the series and I find I want to see how Cora deals with her overbearing father and whether she does find true love.

[rebeccagraf · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A young woman finds herself suddenly rich and not in wanting. She also finds herself on a tour of Europe with men vying for her attention, new siblings adjusting to her, and someone out to kidnap her. Set in early twentieth century, the reader is taken through the glorious society of Europe and many historical sites.The storyline is exceptional. It is full of twists and turns and sub stories that weave in and out and impact the major story. The different layers of the story are realistic while also being full of wonder from being a piece of fiction and able to be anything the author wants it to be. I loved the fact that the setting was in Europe in a time that was still full of romance and adventure as well as moving through the many areas of society.The story is not too fast or too slow. It was a perfect pace. I could easily set it down to cook dinner or pick up the kids without losing the momentum, but I had to get back to it soon to discover more of the story.The characters in the story are layered and deep. They are realistic in the depths they have and the flaws within them. I found Hugh to be the most intriguing. He goes out of his way to irritate those around him yet deep inside is a man that cares. He just doesn’t want it to be seen. Though a jerk, I really liked him. He had the most complex character development.The author does a great job at exploring the internal struggles of the two main characters. They are realistic and easy for the reader to connect with. Their actions aren’t stiff. You can really get into the story and move with them.This is a Christian fiction, but it is what I call a soft Christian story. It is not hitting you over the head with it. The main character prays before decisions and makes a few comments about God’s work in her life. Anyone can enjoy this book even if they are not Christians.This was a really great read. I loved it. I read this before the first book. I’m going back to purchase it now and have recommended to many friends.Note: I received this book from being part of a book tour with no expectation of a positive review.